Tower for drying parachutes



8 2 1946. Aj E. WATERMAN 2, I TOWER FOR DRYING PARAGHUTES Filed Aug. 5, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

#27902 E Miriam/v BVY Aug. 27 1946. W N 2,406,724

TOWER on DRYING PARACHUTES Filed Aug. 5, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug} 2 1946! A. E. WATEl QMAN 2,406,724

' TOWER FOR DRYING PA-RACHUTES Filed Aug. 5, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

Aer/102 E Marie/v4 1 Aug. 27, 1946 v W M 2,406,724

TOWER FOR DRYING PARACHUTES' Filed Aug. 5 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet -4 INVENTOR;

Aer/W2 E M/IZZZ/VA/Y 1946- 'AJE. WA T ERMAN 2,406,724

TOWER FOR DRYING PARACHUTES Filed Aug, 5, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I I INVENTOR. Aer/9025 Mme/mm 1 M hrroE/Yfr Patented Aug. 27, 1946 TOWER. FOR. DRYING PARACHUTES Arthur E. Waterman, Fort Atkinson, Wis., as-

signor to James Manufacturing Company, Fort Atkinson, wis i alcompany of Wisconsin Application August '5, 1943, Serial No. 497,510

8 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a tower enclosure adapted for drying parachutes singly or en masse having for its objects generally stated, providing a tower enclosure having a number of rope pulleys at its top suitably spaced and means whereby the .top of the parachutes may be attached to one end of a rope and pulled to the top of the tower for drying.

Generally stated the :present invention has the following important characteristics: can be. manufactured at 'low cost, is light, storm and weatherproof, collapsable in two or more sections which can be enclosed in bags for stacking, storageor shipping, easily erected" or assembled and as. easily disassembled and shipped either .by truck, trailer or airplane.

An object of vmy invention is to provide means for escape of air near the top of the tower and means for admitting preferably heated air at its bottom to thereby provide natural circulation of air around the parachutes thus to expedite the dryin Process.

'The aboveenumerated objects and characteristics provide a device particularly suitable, for quick transportation and emergency air corps service.

To these and other usefulends my invention consists of parts, combination of parts or their equivalents and method of manufacture, knocking down, erecting and disassembling as described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my complete tower showing a fraction of another building and having a canopy passageway thereto.

Fig. '2 is a. perspective view of the bottom section-of my tower when collapsed and packed in ashipping bag.

Fig. 3 is a view of my tower similar to that shown in Figure 1 with part of the roof and wall blankets removed.

.Fig. 4 is a bottom View .of ring G and all of the parts attached to the ring and. above the ring. Fig. .5 is a .top view of the bottom ring of the bottom section of my improved tower. A portionof the collapsable ribs is shown and in section and illustrating four stake rings with which the tower may be secured to the ground.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the top section when collapsed for packing or transportation.

Fig. 7 illustrates the preferred form of a floor when viewed from the bottom.

Fig.8 is a detail of fractional sections through one side of my improved tower."

Fig. 9 is a sectional view through a fraction of one side of the bottom section when collapsed.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic drawing of my tower building and a fraction of a shelter building as shown in Figure 1.

Fig. -11 is a detail view showing the latch means for holding th parts shown in Fig. 9 in their extended position.

As thus illustrated it will be seen that my improved tower building comprises preferably two sections, the lower section being designated in its entirety by reference character A and the upper section being designated in its entirety by reference character B.

My tower building comprises a number of circular rings which are preferably laminated wood. The bottom ring of the bottom section is designated in its entirety by reference character C. The other rings are designated in their entireties by reference characters D, E, F and G. The floor assembly of my improved tower is designated in its entirety by reference character H.

Floor H comprises spaced slats l0 and spaced slats l l which are at right angles to slats l0 and preferably considerably further apart than members l0. Members l2 act to suitably secure the ends of certain members i fl together.

Member C has secured thereto in spaced relation a number of spaced stake rings I3 with which the building may be anchored to the ground by means of suitable stakes. I provide a fabric member I which on its inner edge is secured to member 0, (see Figures 1 and 3). Section A of my improved tower comprises preferably 3 rings C, D and E. These rings are preferably held together in pairs by pairs of ribs l5 of equal length (see Figures 3 and 9), which are hinged at their ends as at I6. These members are arranged in spaced relation as clearly illustrated in Figure 5, their ends being hinged to the rings as at 11, Ring C is adapted to rest on the outer periphery of member H, and may be secured thereto in any suitable manner.

I secure a blanket or fabric covering l 8 to members C, D and E (see Figures 1 and 8). Member I8 is secured to the rings so it is stretched taut when the ribs are extended as shown in Figures 1 and 3. It will be seen that when the ribs are folded, as in Figure 9, blanket [8 will fold inward as shown in this figure and in Figure 6, and when thus collapsed and folded the units may be placed in a sack I 9 and the sack laced as shown in Figure 2 suitable for storing or shipping. The member A shipp n pa a e p efera y includes unit H.

Blanket I8 is provided preferably with two openings 20, one on each side, through which warmed air may be forced in order to expedite the drying process. The air passes upwardly through units A and B and escapes through an annular opening in the top of unit B as will hereinafter appear, the air being moved preferably to openings 2%! by means of an air heating core and fan.

An opening 2| for attendants (see Figure is provided by extending portions of member l8 outwardly as at 22 so as to form a canopy entrance way, I prefer to position my tower close to the end of a shelter building K and adjacent the door therein, the end of canopy 22 being detachably secured to the frame of the door in member,

K. Shelter building K is shown and described in a copending application, Serial No. 464,314, filed November 2, 1942, maturing into Patent No. 2,363,916, November 28, 1944.

Member B comprises rings F and spaced pairs of ribs 23, theirinner ends being hinged together as at 24 and the outer ends being hinged to rings F and G- as at 2525. A blanket 26 is secured to rings F and G as illustrated in Figure 8 and having a length so it will be stretched taut with members 23 extended. An outer ring 21 is secured to ring G by means of spaced blocks 28 so as to provide an annular opening 29 from which the circulating air may escape. A spider frame is secured to member G and comprises a center piece 30 and a number of ribs 3!. I provide preferably a ring 32 which is secured to members 3| and has slidably mounted thereon a number of rope pulleys 33 having ropes 34, one end of which is adapted to be tied to the upper end of a parachute, the ropes having suitable lengths for the purpose so the parachutes may be pulled to the top of the tower and the free ends of the ropes anchored at some convenient place on member A. There are generally eight of these pulleys so eight parachutes may be dried at one time if necessary. Pulleys 33 may, however, be suitably anchored to members 3 l.

I provide a peaked roof comprising a suitably shaped fabric member 40, the lower ends thereof being folded double and being secured to ring 21 as shown in Figure 8. The lower edge extends below this ring as at 4| so as to act as a water drip. It will also be noted that blanket 26 is similarl folded and secured to ring F. The bottom edge extends below ring F and overhangs ring E. I provide a post 42 which rests on a member 30, this post is either hinged at its center so it may be folded similar to ribs 23 or it may be made in one piece as shown and be detachably mounted. Post 42 is preferably provided with a projection 42 and a reinforced opening 43 is provided in the peak of the roof through which member 42 extends forming a suitable support for the peak of the roof. The upper ring E of unit A is preferably cut away on its upper corner as at 44. Member I8 is folded over this cut away portion thus to provide a suitable drip space for member 26. Members E and F are detachably secured together G having 4 preferably first secured to member I-I then the upper half of member A may be extended after which member B may be extended and placed on the top of member A, then the upper portion of the building may be lifted so the low half of memher A may be extended. Sometime during this erecting operation member l4 may be moved out of the way or slitted and stakes fitted into rings 13 and driven into the ground so the bottom of the building is suitably anchored to the ground.

It will be understood that my building may be erected or disassembled in any manner suitable for the local conditions. The above described erecting method being the preferred form. After ribs l5 or 23 are extended they are held from collapsing by means of straps 50 (see Figure 11) which .are hinged as at 5| on the upper when the building is erected preferably b means 2. A suitable number of guy ropes 46 are at their upper ends secured to ring F, and after the building has been erected the other ends of these ropes may be staked to the ground so as to form a suitable anchor for the building.

When erecting my tower building ring C is ribs and having an opening 52 adapted to engage bolt 53 in the lower ribs and having a thumb nut 54 by which the strap is made taut when the ribs are extended.

Under some conditions the circulating air will not need to be heated and it may be 'moved by natural draft and still dry the parachutes successfully.

The building is preferably the right diameter so eight parachutes will hang free in a circle and form a circle large enough so a parachute may be suspended in the'center from member 38.

Having thus shown and described my invention I claim:

1. A collapsible tower building of the claSS described, comprising a plurality of spaced rings, a number of spaced ribs forming a connection between adjacent rings, said ribs comprising two pieces of equal length and being hinged together at their centers and hingedly secured at their other ends to the rings, and means whereby the ribs are foldable inwardly whereby the rings may be moved adjacent each other, a blanket secured at its ends to said rings forming the walls of the building, and adapted to be stretched taut when the ribs are extended and whereby the blanket may fold between the rings when the ribs are folded.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 including, a frame secured to the top ring and a peaked roof formed of fabric material, the edges thereof being secure to the top ring, a detachable post supported by said frame at the center thereof and forming a support for the peak of said roof, whereby said roof may collapse whensaid post is removed.

3. A collapsible tower building of the class described, comprising a plurality of vertically spaced rings, a number of spaced ribs forming connection between adjacent rings having hinges midway their ends, the other ends of the ribs being hinged to the rings, and means whereby the ribs may be folded inwardly whereby the rings may be moved adjacent each other,.a blanket forming an outer wall secured at its ends to the rings and adapted to be made taut when the ribs are moved into their extended position'and whereby when the ribs are folded'the blanket may be folded inwardly and between the .ribs.

4. A collapsible tower building of the class described, comprising three vertically spaced rings, a number of spaced ribs forming connections between adjacent rings, the ribs being arranged'in pairs of equal length andhinged together at their inner ends, the outer ends of said ribs being hinged to their adjacent rings and having means whereby the ribs may be folded'inwardly and the rings moved adjacent each other, a blanket formforming a, connection therebetween, said ribs comprising two pieces of equal length and being hinged together at their adjacent ends and being hinged to the adjacent rings and having means whereby the ribs may be folded inwardly, a blanket secured at its ends to said rings and adapted to be stretched taut when the rings are extended and whereby the blanket may fold inwardly between the ribs when the ribs are folded, a frame member secured to the top rim and a peaked roof formed of fabric material, the outer edges being secured ,to the top ring, a detachable post adapt- 6 whereby the ribs may be folded inwardly and the rings moved adjacent each other, blankets forming an outer wall for said lower and upper sections and being secured at their ends to their respective rings whereby the blankets will be made taut when the ribs are moved to their extended position and whereby when the ribs are folded the blankets may be folded inwardly between the ribs, said lower and upper sections .being detachably secured together, said roof section comprising a peaked roof having a ring at its bottom and having a larger diameter than the ed to rest on said frame at the center thereof I and act as a support for the peak of said roof, said last building member adapted to rest on the top of the first building member, and means for detachably securing adjacent rings together.

6. A device as recited in claim 4 including, a circular floor member having a diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the bottom ring of said bottom unit and being adapted to be detach-ably secured to the ring.

7. A tower building of the character described, comprising a lower section and an upper section and a roof section, the lower and upper sections comprising a number of rings having ther'ebetween a number of spaced ribs forming connections between adjacent rings, said ribs being arranged in pairs of equal length and hinged together at their inner ends, the outer ends of the pairs of ribs being hinged to their adjacent rings,

upper ring of said upper section and being secured thereto to thereby provide an annular downdraft air outlet and a water shed for the top of the building.

8. A collapsible tower building of the character described comprising; a plurality of vertically spaced rings, a number of circumferentially spaced ribs forming connections between adjacent rings having hinges mid-way their ends, the other ends of said ribs being hinged to the rings, and means whereby the ribs may be folded inwardly whereby the rings may be moved adjacent each other, a blanket forming an outer wall secured at its ends to the rings and adapted to be made taut when the ribs are moved into their extended position and whereby when the ribs are folded the blanket may be folded inwardly and between the ribs, an ingress opening in said blanket at the bottom thereof, another building in close proximity to the first building, and having an opening which registers with said first opening, a canopy surrounding said first opening and being secured thereto and adapted to be detachably secured to said other building around the other building opening, a frame secured to the top ring, and a canvas covering for the building adapted to be supported by the top ring and its frame.

ARTHUR E. WATERMAN. 

